Smaller Classes

In fall 2011, the provincial government made a commitment to ensure smaller class sizes in Kindergarten to Grade 3 classrooms in school divisions across Manitoba. To facilitate implementation of this initiative this government enlisted the assistance of the provincial Oversight Committee, struck earlier that year to support the development of the new provincial report cards. The Oversight Committee is made up of representatives from stakeholder groups in education including representatives from Manitoba Teachers' Society (MTS), Manitoba Association of Parent Councils (MAPC), Manitoba School Boards Association (MSBA), Manitoba Association of School Superintendents (MASS), Manitoba Association of School Business Officials (MASBO), and Manitoba Education.

In June 2012, the government accepted the following class size guidelines as recommended by the Oversight Committee:

90% of the K to 3 classrooms within a school division will be required to be cap compliant by having 20 or fewer students.

10% of K to 3 classrooms within a school division will be permitted to exceed the 20 pupil cap; however, no K to 3 classrooms will be permitted to exceed a class size of 23 pupils.

Where Grade 3 students are combined with students in higher grades, those classrooms will be subject to a 23 student class size cap. These classrooms will not be counted in a school division's 90-10 cap compliance count; however, divisions will be required to report publicly on the number of students in classrooms where Grade 3 students have been combined with students in higher grades

The Class Tracker was implemented to help parents follow the progress of the class size initiative. On an annual basis, school divisions are required to report class sizes publicly, via their class size tracker, in early October. Beyond this point, if classes grow past the 90/10 ratio according to the class size guidelines, the class will not be adjusted during the school year, except for in exceptional situations. The following year, the classes will be readjusted to reflect the class size guidelines.